Flue breather



Aug- 12, 1958 lA. J. sTlLL 2,846,935

FLUE BREATHER- Filed Feb. '16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheetl INVENTOR.

Mawu

A TTR/VEY Aug. 12,` 1958 I Filed Feb. 16, 1956 jiy. 6.

A. J. STILL FLUE BEATHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR.

#www .jf/w BY M14 ATTORNEY United States PatentA O FLUE BREATHER AugustJ. Still, Atchison, Kans. Application February 16,1956, serial N6.565,886

' s claims. (c1. 9s-4s) This invention relates to a breather adapted tobe connected Awith an upper portion of a ue or vent stack and has forits object to Afacilitate discharge of flue gases that tend yto collectin the upper end of flues or stacks having poor draft conditions. Otherobjects ofthe invention are to provide a flue breather which isconstructed for facilitating application thereof to a iiue or vent atany desired location, for example, in the attic or near the ceiling of aspace. which is to be heated and/ or ventilated; to provide a .breatherhaving inlets and a damper adapted to close the inlets automatically incase of downdrafts; and to provide a simple lightweight damper whichopens and closes responsive to relatively slight pressure differentialson the respective sides thereof.

. In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention hereinafterpointed out, I have provided improved structure thenpreferred forms ofwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

fFig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a conventional brick typeIof vchimney equipped with a breather constructed in accordance with thepresent invention and which is adapted to be inserted in place of one ofthe bricks of the chimney. r

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the breather.

lFig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view particularly illustrating thedeector or baie which retards entrance of flue gases from the liue intothe breather.

Fig.l 4 is la fragmentary perspective view particularly illustrating thebreather inlets, gasket and damper.

` Fig. Sis a horizontal section through the breather on theline 5-5 ofFig. 2.

. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of a modified form of invention and whichis particularly adapted to cylindrical vent stacks or lines,

Fig. 7 is a. vertical section through vent to which it is attached.

.Fig 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inlet end of thebreather particularly illustrating the inlet openings, gasket, andcontrol damper.

Fig 9 is a similar perspective View but showing the parts -as viewedfrom within the breather.

Referring more in detail to the drawings and first to the form ofinvention illustrated in Figs. l to 5, inclusive:

1 designates abreather constructed in accordance with the presentinvention and which is particularly adapted for'usein-"connection withchimneys or flues of brick construction. The breather 1 includes atubular body orfcasing 2 having a top and bottom 3 and 4 and side walls5 and 6 to provide a horizontal duct or passageway '7 open fat one endfor connection to a ue or chimney. The casinghas a cross sectional sizeand shape conforming to one of the bricks 8 of a chimney in which thedevicefisto-be' inserted, as later described. The flue end of the top,-bottom and sidewalls is preferably provided with 'laterally turnedflanges 9 having a depth substantially conforming tothe depthvofthe'r'nortar joints 10 between the bricks whereby when the breather isinserted the breather and Patented Aug. 12, 1958 ICC within a lateralopening of the chimney that has been' provided upon removal of one ofthe bricks, the anges, preferably, lie ush with the inner face of thechimney and close the mortar spaces that surround the respective sidesof the breather. The casing or body portion of the breather is ofsufficient length to project from the outer face of the chimney andterminates in a hood 11. In the illustrated instances, the hood 11 isshown as comprising a downwardly and outwardly directed top portion 12formed as an extension of the top 3 and which has downwardly directedside wings 13 and 14 that overlap the side walls 5 and 6, as best shownin Fig. 1. The wings are preferably secured to the side walls bysuitable fastening devices such as rivets or spot welds 1S. 13 and 14thus form the sides of the hood and also braces for supporting the topof the hood at the desired slant to protect the downwardly facingentrance 16 to the hood. Extending transversely between the walls `34and 5-6 is a partition 17 having air inlet openings or apertures 18therethrough and which are preferably ar-l rows to register withcorresponding apertures 19 in a gasket 20 that seats against the inner'The partition and gasket are held' in position within the breather by aframe 21 having an'- therespective walls by spot welding, to-

ranged in transverse face of the partition.

outer marginal flange 22 secured to of the breather, as, for example,

support an inwardly extending marginal flange 23 'in position to seatthe marginal portions of the gasket and partition members, as best shownin Figs. 2 and 4.

In order to control inlet through the apertures 18 andv 19 into the flueand to close the apertures in case of downdrafts through the chimney,the breather includes a damper plate 24 that is preferably formed of afire resistant light weight material such as sheet mica and which Thedamper` which is of a size to cover all of the apertures. is slidablysupported on studs or pins 25 and 26 are spaced apart and adjustablyretained in nuts 27 and 28 that are welded to the registry with openings29 gasket through which the studs are projected and threaded into thenuts to adjust heads 31 vthereof to and' i 'from the gasket to providethe desired opening of the damper. The damper is slidably mounted on thestuds between the gasket and heads 31 and to facilitate movement thereofthe damper is grommets 32 through the studs extend and which grommetsare sufficiently wide to prevent catching on the threads of the studs orpins 25 and 26. It is thus obvious that the studs project in the'direction of the open end and support the damper for movement to andfrom the apertures responsive to pressure differential acting on theinner and outer sides of the partition.

The outlet end of the breather may entering the breather.

-A breather constructed as illustrated and described in Figs. 3 to 5 isinstalled at the desired position within thev chimney by removing one ofthe bricks 8 and cleaning out the mortar from the opening thus`provided. The

studs arev adjusted to allow the proper movement of the I after whichthe iianged ends of the breather are damper, inserted into the openingthus provided until the flanges 9 preferably are ush'wlth the inner faceof the chimney.

The mortar space then surrounding the breather is filled' in with freshmortar. The anges 9 form the inner particularly when However, the

The wingsouter face of the partition inand 30 in the partition andpreferably provided withf be provided with a tranverse baie 33 to aid inexcluding liuc gases fromthat the mortar may be pressedl tightly aroundthe breather to securely retain the breather the iiue gases to collectin yconditions exist exteriorly breather Y.beingmounted kwithin theatticofthe vbuilding provides for inlet of air to displace the ue gases. Theair in the attic being warmer'Y than the exterior air passesthrough:theaopeningsy S18 :and 19with -suilcient velocity tosleep thedamper.2`4 unseated :and maintainowinto the'c-himneyto'displace thestagnant fluegases. In 'case of yback "draft )as'fduring excessivelywindy conditions, ther back ydraft: produces suicient pressure infthe`chimney tocause therelatively light weight 'damper 24 to 'move onthepinsand to makecontact with the gasket which forms apart of the .partitionto close andpreventow throughC the apertures'18 and 19.

The form of invention; shown. in Figs. '6 to9, inclusive,is-rparticularly adapted for cylindricalfluesior vents. In this form 'ofthe Yinvention the breather has Vtop and bottom"wallsz34:and 35 fandsides 36 and 37 corresponding withthewalls-in the'rst described form'ofthe invention.V However,fin thistinstance'the top and bottom walls 34Aand 35 :are provided with semicircular notches 38'to'ta cylindricalcoll-ar 39.to which the top, bottom andi-side 'walls Vare suitablyconnected as Vby `welding or the like. -The collar 39 is'of the splittype and theends thereof terminate in outwardly-extending `flanges 40and 41 `that are :adapted to be drawntogether by fastening devicessuch-as bolts 42 and 43. The collar 39 has lan opening 44 inregistrywith the breather duct land which also isvadapted to register with asimilarly shaped openin'g-45 in thevent or flue 46 to which the breatheris to be connected. Otherwise the structure corresponds with that.previously described and like designations are used on thecorresponding parts.

In applying the'form of invention shown in Figs. 6 tor9, an opening 45is made in the vent and the anged e'nds'ofnthe collar'iare spread apartto pass-over the ue 46, `after which the flanges'40 and 41 are broughttogether and securedby the fastening devices 42 and 43. In V.order to.prevent leakage between the collar and the wall of the'vent, lthecollar is preferably lined with a suitable gasket material 47.

Thisform of the invention is particularly adapted-for use :onlthe Iventoutlets ofetrailers to eectremoval of the Warml air-that collects underthe ceiling and to `improve circulationof the air within the trailerwhen the trailer is being heated.

vFrom the foregoingit is'lobvious that I have provided a'uev breatherthat is readilyzadapted for installation'on existingilues Vor ventsiand'that the damper or valve mechanism is of simple construction andadapted to operateeautom'atically responsive to pressure diierentials onthe 'respective sides of the perforated inlet to the breather ducts.

What I-claim 'and desire to secure byiLetters Patent 1s:

1. A breather ladapted for connection rwith -a lateral opening in a fluefor Veffecting a substantially continuous- 1y` openfinlet .foruflowof:air through said lateral opening andli'nto the upper-part of the flueto displacelflue gases tending to collect in the upper portion of theflue, said breather including a substantially horizontal tubularcasingl'ha'ving an'open'end adapted to lbe connected with theflateralopening Iin said ilue, la transverse partition at-'the opposite'endofthe casing and provided with an air inlet, guide'pins projectingsubstantially horizontally from the partition onthe side facing theflue,'and a damper having free'sliding support on said guide ,pinsand'to=depend from said Aguide pins in spaced relation with thepartition to uncover the air inlet and provide for free How of airthrough said air inlet-of the partition and into theV ue for Vkeepingflue gases from collecting in the upper portion of the ue, said 'damperbeing movable on saidguide 'pins from said spaced position into contactwith the partition for closing said air inlet openingresponsivetoadowndraft in said llue `and said damper-'being retractableOnsaidfguide pins to said open position responsive to -pressure `ofexternal air acting-on the damper after suspension of said downdraft toreestablish said air ow into the ue.

2. A breather adapted for connection with a lateral opening in a iluefor electing a substantially continuously open inlet for flow of airthrough said lateral opening and into the upper part of theeflue todisplace ue gases tending to collect in the upper portion of the flue,said breather including a substantially horizontal tubular casing havingan open end y'adapted'to be connected with the lateral opening insaid'ilue, a transverse partition at the opposite end ofthe casingr andprovidedwith ian-ain' inlet,

I a bale extendingtransversely within=said open end ofthe casing toassist in excluding ue gases from entering the casing, guide pinsprojecting substantially horizontally from the partition on the sidefacing the flue, and a damper having free sliding support on said guidepins and to depend from said guide pins in spaced 'relationv'witlri thepartition to uncover the air'inlet'aridtprovide" for "ffree ilow of Vairthrough saidair inletof the partition-anid'fito the flue forkeepin'g'the line-gases 'from collecting'infthe' upper-portion off the llue,'said damperfbein'g movable'on saidy guide pins from said spacedposition ito contact-"with the-partition forfclosingesaid air'in-let'opening' responsive toa down'draft in saidfue and said damperbeingy retractable on said gui-de pins to s'aid open positionre'sponsiveto pressure of' external air actig'bn the ldanlper'upon suspension ofvsaid down'draftto reestablish said airw into thefflue. Y

3. A breather adapted for connection "with `-a'laterl opening in a iluefor effecting a'substantially'cont'iuously open inlet forflow of'airthrough said lateral 'opening and into'theupper'part ofithefueto-displaeef'flue"gases tending to collect inthe upper portion "ofA thehue, :said breather including a substantially horizontal f tb'lar'casing of'rectangular cross section andhaving anbpenend adaptedto beconnected vwith the lateral"op'en.ing in'said ue, a transverse partitionat the-'oppositeend ofthe casingiand providedwith air inlet openings,a"ho`o'd extending outwardly from the casing in protectin'grelationwithsaidl air inlet openings 'of the partition; spaced 'apart' 'guidefpnsprojecting substantially horizontally from the partition 'on' theV sidefacing the ue, a substantiallyre'ctangularldamper havingispa'ce'dapertures passing the "pinsforifreeslidiri'g support of the damper onsaid guide pinslan'd tofriorm'ally depend from said guide pinsinspaced-"relation` Withthe partition to uncover lther air Vinletopenings and'ip vide for free ``low of airffrom thefhooid side 'of'the'partition through said air inlet vopeningsandinto:thef'flue'forikeepingiuegasesffrom collecting in the upperportion'ofthe ue, said damperbeing movable on s'aidguide'pinsfrom saidspaced position into contact with'th'e 'partition for closing said fairinlet openings responsive` to va 'downdraft in said ilue and said damperbeing'retrac'table 'on =said guide pins to said openpositonrespon'siveito' pressure of external air acting'on thedamper'a'ften suspension fsid downdraft to reestablish said airilowintotliehuefand a baille-insetV within they open end ofi the casingto exclude ue gases normallyf'from the casing.

' References Cited in the -le of 'this patent UNITED STATES v'P'A'IT'ISCowan ......-'Aug. l2.1, 1951

